Apparatus for producing anchor bolts

ABSTRACT

A completely automatic system for converting plain metal rods into anchor bolts with a thread on one end and an approximate right angle bend on the other all complete with automatic feeding of the work pieces through the system and into a shipping container; the system comprising an in-feed mechanism to a roll threader, a roll threader, rod guide means for holding each rod as it is being threaded in aligned position with the rod threading dies with the proper amount of force, conveying means from the roll threader into a bending mechanism, a bending mechanism, a conveying mechanism from the bending mechanism to a shipping or storage container; and wherein the in-feed mechanism includes means for selecting one rod at a time to be placed in the rod guide means which includes a pair of timed vertically reciprocating bars moving parallel with the threading dies, with one of the pair of reciprocating bars acting as a means for pushing said rod to be threaded into the rod guide means and subsequently into the roll threading dies.

United States Patent 11 1 Anderson July 31, 1 973 [5 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ANCHOR 3,183,697 5/1965 Cardell 72/88 BOLTS OTHER'PUBLICATIONS lnventofl Malcolm Anderson Columbia, American Inst. of Bolt, Nut & Rivet Manufactures;

i v01. 5, No. 1, July 23, 1948, pp, 10 and 11. [73] Assignee: United states Pipe and Foundr Company, Birmingham Primary Exammer--Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-45. M. Combs Filed: 1971 Attorney.lames W. Grace [21] Appl. No.: 111,506

[57] ABSTRACT 52 US. Cl. 10/11 R, 10/165, 72/88 A aummaic F cmve'ting Plain [5 Int. Cl. u metal rods lntO- anchor bolts w1th a thread on one end 58 Field of Search 10/11 R, 11 GT, 24, and bend the H27, 86, 165, 66, 167, 162 R 12; 72,88, complete with automatlc feeding oi: the worlc p1eces 89 90 133 418 through the system and mm a sh1pp1ng contamer; the system comprising an in-feed mechanism to a roll 56 R f threader, a roll threader, rod guide means for holding 1 UNITE; 2:2 ;,Z each rod as it is being threaded in aligned position with the rod threading dies with the proper amount of force, 2,109,918 3/1938 Fnedman /165 X conveying means from the to" thread into a bending 3 f 'i 72/ mechanism, a bending mechanism, a conveying mecha- I 10x95 s 'ggi x nism from the bending mechanism to a shipping or stor- 214641883 3/1949 g OM65 X age container; and wherein the in-feed mechanism in- 375,097 12/1887 Rogers 72 90 dudes means sflectmg f 9 be 403 673 3 1 39 Rogers 72 3g placed 1n the rod gu1de means whlch mcludes a pa1r of 1,437,919 12/1922 Sniith 10/27 UB Ux timed vertically reciprocating bars moving parallel with 316,650 4/1885 Perkins 10/27 R X the threading dies, with one of the pair of reciprocating 71 L648 10/l902 Stiker 6i 3] 10/11 R bars acting as a means for pushing aid rod to be a g at 34: threaded into the rod guide means and subsequently 3 435 472 4/1969 11:11; mm mm the threadmg dies 1,146,561 7/1915 Gaess /8 X 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures [451 July 31,1973

United States Patent 1 Anderson PATENIED M31 3.748.673

sum 1 OF 2 4 INVENTOR. MALCOLM W. ANDERSON BY MF QK ATTORNEY Pmmmwm W 3'. 748.673

SHEEI 2 BF 2 INVENTOR.

I MALCOLM w ANDERSON #5 BY W 7 M ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ANCHOR BOLTS DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART Automatic bolt machines feed unthreaded work pieces with heads of various shapes such as hexagonal or square on one of their ends into thread rolling dies which in turn roll a thread onto the end opposite the head of the work piece completing the bolt. Similarly in the case where anchor bolts are to be produced threads are rolled onto one end of plain metal rods that are manually fed into roll threaders. The aforementioned plain metal rods after having a thread rolled on one of their ends are again manually fed into a mechanical bender wherein a portion of the end not threaded is bent at an approximate right angle to the remainder of the rod. Anchor bolts usually require threads for less than one fifth of their total length, thus, only a small portion of the rod is positioned in the dies. This portion to be threaded must enter the dies precisely aligned or an improper thread will result. While bolts can be successfully fed into the dies automatically since nearly the entire length is to be threaded, prior to my invention, no means has been known to feed plain metal rods into roll thread dies automatically maintaining said rods in aligned position with correct force to prevent misalignment of the rod throughout the roll threading operation, even though only a small portion of the rod length enters the roll threading dies.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION My invention is a completely automatic system for converting plain metal rods into anchor bolts with a thread on one end and an approximate right angle bend on the other all complete with automatic feeding of the work pieces through the system and into a shipping container. The system comprises an in-feed mechanism to a roll threader, a roll threader, rod guide means (etc) conveying means from the roll threader into a bending mechanism, a bending mechanism a conveying mechanism from the bending mechanism to a shipping or storage container. The in-feed mechanism includes means for selecting one rod at a time to be placed in the rod guide means, which includes a pair of timed vertically reciprocating bars moving parallel with the threading dies, with one of the pair of reciprocating bars acting as a means for pushing said rod to be threaded into the rod guide means and subsequently into the roll threading dies.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to automate the infeed of plain metal rods into a roll threading machine. Another object of my invention is to provide automatic means to receive a rod from an in-feed mechanism and hold each such rod in the proper aligned position to enter the dies of said roll threading machine.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a completely automated rod threading and bending operation for production of anchor bolts beginning with the in-feed mechanism to the roll threading machine and ending with expulsion of the finished anchor bolt onto the discharge conveyor.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a rod selecting means just opposite the roll threader which will select one rod at a time and convey it to a rod guiding mechanism and wherein part of said rod selecting means pushes the selected rod into and through the rod guide means until the rod is grasped by the roll threader dies.

And, it is another object of my invention to provide a rod guide means to hold and guide each rod as it is being threaded.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means for adjusting the in-feed mechanism and rod guide means to accommodate rods of varying length and diameter. I

It is also an object of my invention to receive said rods from said roll threading machine and automatically feed said rods into a rod bending machine to bend a portion of the unthreaded end of said rod at an approximate right angle to the remaining portion and to convey the rod therefrom to a shipping or storage container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation view, shown schematically, of an automated process for making anchor bolts.

FIG. 2 is a fragmented elevation view showing the infeed mechanism to the threading machine.

FIG. 3 is a fragmented plan view showing the in-feed mechanism to the threading machine.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view showing the mechanical bending machine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. I of the drawings, there is shown schematically a roll threading machine 2. The roll threading machine I prefer is manufactured and sold by Waterbury Farrell Company, Division of Textron Company, Model No. 30. However, various other commercially available types may be satisfactorily provided. The design is such that the die moves'vertically in order to impart a thread to the work piece. It includes a table shown generally by the numeral 3 and further mechanism 6, 8, l0 and 12 cooperating therewith for selecting and transferring to guide plates 14 and 16 of the roll threader individual rods in continuous succession, all of which is described more fully hereinbelow. The in-feed mechanism is a significant part of my invention. Table 3 comprises a first inclined surface 4 and an adjoining second surface 5 vertically spaced. The inclined surface 4 holds a supply of work pieces, e. g. metal rods, and because of its incline causes said metal rods to move into the slot formed by surface 5 and a cylinder actuated stop gate 8. Table 3 includes rails 18 and 20, one of which, 18, is adjustable for different length of rod. Any adjusting means is satisfactory although I show a plurality of studs 22 welded to rail 18 and drawn against lugs 24 by nuts 26, with nuts 28 acting as stops. The lead rod or first work piece will come to rest on horizontal rod guide 12. The in-feed mechanism further comprises stop gate 8, a cylinder actuated horizontal feed bar 10 and a cylinder actuated vertical feed bar 6, all of which function in timed sequence and convey the bottommost rod to the roll threader. The feed bar 6 is standard equipment with the commercially available roll threading machine. However, as seen more clearly in FIG. 3 it has been modified to extend the full length of the rod to be threaded. In fact the entire roll threading machine 2 has been modified to a certain extent in order to provide a fully automated system, including integration of the feed bar 6 as part of the rod selecting means. The roll threading machine 2 itself is rotated and mounted on a foundation at a position from that which it is normally used for, namely, for

bolts. In other words the roll threading die 30 reciprocates in a vertical direction whereas normally it would reciprocate in a horizontal direction. Each of these members, feed bar 6,,stop gate 8, and feed bar extend substantially the full length of the rod. Further, each of these members is provided with respective means for imparting motion thereto such as shown schematically as pneumatically actuated cylinders 34 and 36. Pneumatic actuator 34 controls reciprocation of both feed bar 6 and stop gate 8 by means of common connecting rods 38 and 40 since these two members move in unison without effective displacement. Also each of these members are provided with means for guiding the movement of each within their respective plane of movement. Any means for accomplishing this is satisfactory. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, feed bar 10 is connected tp pneumatic actuator 36 by means of connecting rod 42 which is pinned at 44 to yoke of bar 10. Bar 10 slides on the upper surface of horizontal rod guide 12. Gate 8 is guided in one place by guide members 46 and ,48 which extend lengthways of the gate 8 for substantially half its length and are welded to the roll threader 2. The rigidity thereof can be increased by providing supports therefor. Likewise guide 50 is provided to restrain the leading edge of feed bar 6 to be at a plane perpendicular to the axis of the threading dies. Thus, when the leading edge of feed bar 6 engages and pushes a rod through the rod guide means and into contact with the threading dies, the rod will likewise be received with its axis perpendicular to that of the threading dies.

As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rod guide means of my invention comprises a stationary rod guide plate 14 and a spring biased adjustable rod guide plate 16.

Guide plate 14 is welded as shown at 52 or otherwise rigidly secured to the framework of roll threader 2. Adjustable rod guide plate 16 includes a plurality of nuts 54 welded thereto which receive the respective threaded ends of bolts 56. The shank portion of bolts 56 ride within member 58 which is rigidly secured to guide 12. Adjustment of the distance between plates 14 and 16 is made by taking up or letting out bolts 56. The distance between plates 14 and 16 is always kept slightly less than the diameter of the rods to be threaded. A compression spring 60 provides the necessary force between the plates and the rod being threaded. It should be noted that upper edge 62 of plate 16 is inclined across its full length so that each rod as it is received from guide 12 will be in a horizontal position at the time it is first contacted by the downward stroke of feed bar 6, as is more fully described hereinafter.

In operation, after the rods have been cut to proper length, they are fed into table 3 from which they roll down the incline in a stacked row in the passageway defined by gate 8 and the table. The bottommost bar 66 rests momentarily on guide 12. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, stop gate 8 and vertical feed bar 6 are moved to the up position clearing a path for horizontal feed bar 10 to push rod 66 against fixed stop 14. This causes rod 66 to actually fall until it is stopped by guide inclined edge 62 of guide plate 16. Horizontal feed bar 10 retracts to its rest position shown in FIG. I. Simultaneously vertical feed bar 6 pushes rod 66 into a position such that the dies, 30 and 32 of the roll threader as shown in FIG. 1, engage the end portion of the rod to be threaded. Guides 14 and I6 engage substantially all of the remainder of said rod and maintain the proper force on the rod during the subsequent threading operation. Die 30 is now actuated vertically downward rolling rod 66 between the thread forming surfaces of each die, 30 and 32, imprinting a thread on the rod in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. It will be noted that during and just prior to the actuation of die 30 the rod 66 is held in precise alignment with the dies 30 and 32 as it is engaged thereby not only by the correct alignment of the leading edge of feed bar 6 with the dies but also precise alignment of the rod is assured by adjusting guide 16 to engage rod 66 with the proper amount of force so as to prevent misalignment. The force is adjustable by rotating bolt 56 to vary the distance between guide plates 14 and 16.

At the end of the downward stroke of die 30, rod 66 with completed thread drops on to conveying surface 68 and rolls into a conveyor flight 70 and feeds the semi-finished piece to conveyor 72. Die 30 returns to its initial uppermost position, and vertical feed bar 6 and stop gate 8 retract to the position shown in FIG. 2 allowing the next cycle to commence. Conveyor 72 is made of standard commercially available sprockets, chain, chain flights and motor with speed reducer'drive unit all well known to those skilled in the art. It indexes, or rotates one position forward, each time a rod is threaded. Subsequent cycles of the above described process fill the carrying flights of conveyor '72 and eventually discharge a rod from the other end of conveyor 72 and into one of a plurality of grooves in bending drum 74. Bending drum 74 indexes in the same direction as the conveyor 72, as indicated by the arrow thereon in FIG. 1, each time conveyor 72 indexes. Eventually a groove containing a rod must pass cam follower 76. Said cam follower is purposely placed in the path of said rod end thus causing the respective rod end to bend as the bending drum 74 continues to rotate. After bending the rod falls from the bender onto the continuously moving belt of conveyor 78 and is subsequently discharged into container 80.

Initial start of the automatic cycle described above may be by electrical selector switch or push button with subsequent portions of the cycle including the recycling of the process being initiated by limit switches. The electrical circuitry necessary to practice my invention as it has been described is considered well known in the art and therefore no further detailed description thereof is considered necessary.

While the preferred embodiment of my invention is described above, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown nor described since various means of actuation, control, etc., can be substituted without departing from the spiritof the herein disclosed invention.

I claim:

I I. A system for making anchor bolts from plain rods wherein each bolt has a threaded portion on one end and a right angle bend portion on the other, comprismg:

An automatic roll threading machine for imprinting threads on one end of said plain rod and including a pair of roll threading dies; rod in-feed means substantially coextensive with said plain rods for automatically feeding rods into said roll threading machine,

said rod in-feed means comprising table means having a first conveying surface inclined downwardly at an angle less than 90 and a pair of guide rails along the transverse edges thereof, said rails being spaced a distance from one another slightly greater than the length of the plain rods to be threaded to thereby guide each of said plain rods down said first conveying surface,

rod selecting means positioned at the base of said inclined portion of said table means,

said rod selecting means including means for arranging said plain rods vertically in a row lying lengthwise of one another,

reciprocating feed bar means substantially coextensive with said plain rods for pushing the end of the plain rods to be threaded into engagement by said pair of dies;

rod guide means for grasping each of said plain rods to be threaded prior to entry of said plain rods between said dies including a pair of oppositely disposed, planar, rectangular, vertical rod guide plates, each of said guide plates being substantially equal in length to a major portion of the length of the plain rods and positioned perpendicular and adjacent to said dies, and guide plate adjustment means for yieldably adjusting the distance between said guide plates;

said reciprocating feed bar means of said roll threading machine being aligned between said guide plates, whereby upon one of the plain rods being disposed between said guide plates, said reciprocating feed bar means will descend and force the plain rods into engagement by the dies, and each of said plain rods as it is forced downwardly will spread the guide plates thereby loading the said guide plate adjustment means and providing the force to maintain each of said plain rods in alignment with the dies,

rod bending means for bending a portion of said plain rods opposite the threaded end thereof at a right angle to the remaining portion, and indexing conveying means for automatically conveying each of said plain rods from said roll threading machine into said rod bending means.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein, said guide plate adjustment means includes a stationary support means, a plurality of studs connecting one of said guide plates with said stationary support means, said studs being fixed in said one of said guide plates, the other end of said stud being threaded and passing through said fixed support means and having a fastener connected thereto, and spring means positioned between said one of said guide plates and said stationary support means. 

1. A system for making anchor bolts from plain rods wherein each bolt has a threaded portion on one end and a right angle bend portion on the other, comprising: An automatic roll threading machine for imprinting threads on one end of said plain rod and including a pair of roll threading dies; rod in-feed means substantially coextensive with said plain rods for automatically feeding rods into said roll threading machine, said rod in-feed means comprising table means having a first conveying surface inclined downwardly at an angle less than 90* and a pair of guide rails along the transverse edges thereof, said rails being spaced a distance from one another slightly greater than the length of the plain rods to be threaded to thereby guide each of said plain rods down said first conveying surface, rod selecting means positioNed at the base of said inclined portion of said table means, said rod selecting means including means for arranging said plain rods vertically in a row lying lengthwise of one another, reciprocating feed bar means substantially coextensive with said plain rods for pushing the end of the plain rods to be threaded into engagement by said pair of dies; rod guide means for grasping each of said plain rods to be threaded prior to entry of said plain rods between said dies including a pair of oppositely disposed, planar, rectangular, vertical rod guide plates, each of said guide plates being substantially equal in length to a major portion of the length of the plain rods and positioned perpendicular and adjacent to said dies, and guide plate adjustment means for yieldably adjusting the distance between said guide plates; said reciprocating feed bar means of said roll threading machine being aligned between said guide plates, whereby upon one of the plain rods being disposed between said guide plates, said reciprocating feed bar means will descend and force the plain rods into engagement by the dies, and each of said plain rods as it is forced downwardly will spread the guide plates thereby loading the said guide plate adjustment means and providing the force to maintain each of said plain rods in alignment with the dies, rod bending means for bending a portion of said plain rods opposite the threaded end thereof at a right angle to the remaining portion, and indexing conveying means for automatically conveying each of said plain rods from said roll threading machine into said rod bending means.
 2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein, said guide plate adjustment means includes a stationary support means, a plurality of studs connecting one of said guide plates with said stationary support means, said studs being fixed in said one of said guide plates, the other end of said stud being threaded and passing through said fixed support means and having a fastener connected thereto, and spring means positioned between said one of said guide plates and said stationary support means. 